Osimhen pegged back by VAR at AFCON

Nigeria’s most influential striker of the moment, Victor James Osimhen, is having a tough time in the hands of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), as his disallowed goals have marked him as a player badly affected by the introduction of the VAR technology at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON). VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology in […]

Nigeria’s most influential striker of the moment, Victor James Osimhen, is having a tough time in the hands of Video Assistant Referees (VAR), as his disallowed goals have marked him as a player badly affected by the introduction of the VAR technology at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

VAR (Video Assistant Referee) technology in sports, primarily football, uses video replays and multiple camera angles to help on-field referees correct clear and obvious errors in critical match situations, like goals, penalties, red cards, or mistaken identity, enhancing accuracy but sparking debate over game flow. A team of video officials reviews plays from a control room, communicates with the referee via radio, and can recommend reviews, ensuring fair play while balancing game fluidity.

For the fleet-footed striker, it has been a saga of high-octane celebrations followed by the cold, digital heartbreak of a reversed decision. Some analysts have blamed the unfortunate development on the player’s inability to properly time his runs in the opponents’ box.

On Monday, January 5, he had his opening goal against the Mambas of Mozambique disallowed for offside bringing to three the number of his goals that have been cancelled at the ongoing AFCON in Morocco. He, however, dusted up himself and scored a brace in the Round of 16 match as the Super Eagles breezed into the quarter-finals.

While he is a prolific scorer for Nigeria in other competitions (such as the qualifiers, where he has over 20 goals), his tally in the main tournament remains low due to a mix of injury induced absences and several high-profile goals being overturned by VAR.

At the ongoing AFCON, he has had three goals disallowed by VAR and on-field referee decisions, leaving him with a paltry four goals. When his lone goal at the 2023 edition in Cote d’Ivoire is added to his present tally, Osimhen would boast of only five goals in his AFCON appearances. The number of goals he has scored at the AFCON has not reflected his profile as one of the world’s best strikers, but the role of VAR in this unsavoury situation can’t be overlooked.

Despite the setbacks, Osimhen has managed to match the number of goals scored by his immediate past captain, William Troost-Ekong, whose tally of five goals at the AFCON set a new record for the most goals scored by a defender in the competition’s history, surpassing the previous mark held by Stephen Keshi.

While Ekong scored once in 2019 and four times at the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire to bring his tally to five, Osimhen’s goal against Tunisia was his second so far. His other goal at the AFCON came in the match against Equatorial Guinea in 2023.

 

Goals Osimhen has lost to VAR/Offside at AFCON

Osimhen’s disallowed goals is split between the 2023 and 2025 editions of the tournament:

1. 2023 AFCON vs. Angola- His goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
2. 2023 AFCON vs. South Africa- Goal ruled out for an earlier foul in Nigeria’s box; VAR gave a penalty to South Africa instead.
3. 2025 AFCON vs. Tanzania- His goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR check early in the second half.
4. 2025 AFCON vs. Tunisia- Goal ruled out for offside in the 17th minute after a VAR review.
5. 2025 AFCON vs. Mozambique – Struck after only two minutes after a cross by Bright Osayi-Samuel, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

The offside decision against Osimhen in the Round of 16 match against the Mambas swelled his disallowed goals at the AFCON to five.

As stated earlier, his opening goal against Mozambique was ruled out for offside, but Osimhen recovered from the early setback to score a brace in the 26th and 47th minute as Nigeria cruised to a 4-0 victory.

Osimhen then took his goals tally at the tournament in Morocco to four when he scored the opening goal for the Super Eagles in the 2-0 defeat of the Desert Foxes of Algeria in the quarter-final clash last Saturday in Marrakech.

The former African Footballer of the Year is currently one of the top scorers in the tournament, trailing only Morocco’s Brahim Díaz, who has five goals.

In Morocco, he scored once against Tunisia in the second group match and netted a brace against Mozambique in the Round of 16 before his all-important opening goal against Algeria in the quarter-finals.

The Super Eagles semi-final match against hosts Atlas Lions of Morocco on Wednesday is another opportunity for Osimhen to either catch up with Diaz or overtake the Moroccan as he pursues his dream to emerge as the highest goalscorer at the 2025 AFCON.

Osimhen is also fighting vigorously to become Nigeria’s all-time highest goalscorer. The Galatasaray striker with 35 goals is two goals away from equalling the legendary Rashidi Yekini’s all-time record for the Nigeria national team.